COUNT THREE AND PRAY

US, 1955, 92 minutes, Colour.
Van Heflin, Joanne Woodward, Phil Carey, Raymond Burr.
Directed by George Sherman.

US, 1955, 102 minutes, Colour.
Van Heflin, Joanne Woodward, Philip Carey, Raymond Burr, Alison Hayes.
Directed by George Sherman.

Count Three and Pray is now memorable for the introduction of Joanne Woodward. Two years later she was to win an Academy Award for The Three Faces of Eve. The next year she married Paul Newman, appeared with him in many films including being directed by him in Oscar-nominated Rachel Rachel. Van Heflin is good as a Civil War fighter, violent man and womaniser who repents and comes to the town as the new pastor. He tries to rebuild the church with the help of Joanne Woodward, a latter-day Tammy. The opposition comes from Raymond Burr.

The film is humorous as well as serious and was directed by George Sherman, a veteran director of many genre movies, but especially westerns such as The Treasure of Pancho Villa, Chief Crazy Horse, Dawn at Socorro. Between 1948 and 1958 he directed thirty-three feature films. His last film was Big Jake in 1971 with John Wayne.

1. What were the ironic implications of the title?

2. Was this an enjoyable film? Why?

3. What were the principal ingredients of the film? How typical a western was this?

4. What impact did this have as a "religious" film? Was it really religious? How?

5. The film received good reviews. What were its principal qualities?

6. Comment on the setting of the film and its impact: the civil war, the song, the return from the war, North versus South, forgetting hatreds; the nature of the town itself, the people in the town, the ordinary people, the rich people, the decaying gentry, the newly rich; the power struggle in the town between Yancy and the gentry.

7. What was the nature of love and hatred in this film? Comment on how much hatred there was in the town . What were the origins of the hatred - towards Luke Fargo, towards Georgina, towards Yancy, towards the gentry?

8. What kind of man was Luke Fargo - was his past typical of a man in the West? His decision to fight for the North in the war? The impact of the war on him and his decision to become a preacher? His return, his friendships, the reaction of the people in the town, the reaction of Lissie? His determination to become a preacher, his decisions especially about gambling, fighting, Selma? Why did he succeed? what motivated him? Was he trying to buy friendship or was he trying to get people to church? Why was there such opposition to him? Why was he blind to Lissie’s feelings for him?

9. Lissie: how spirited a performance was this from Joanne Woodward? How convincing was she? What motivated her? How was she a contrast in behaviour and beliefs to Luke? How did her comments keep him down to earth? How was she a kind of chorus in the action of the film? Why did she fall in love with him? Was the ending convincing?

10. Yancy - was he a typical brutal villain? What motivated him? Class differences in a new world? Why was he so cruel to Georgina? when she whipped the man, in humiliating her, in marrying her?

11. What did Georgina stand for? the old gentry and pride, her decaying mother? Her infatuation with Luke? Her turning against him? Why did he not respond to her in sympathy? What was the ultimate humiliation?

12. Comment on the friendship of the ordinary people in the town, with Luke - especially in building the church, in burying past hostilities, in their testimony to the bishop?

13. The role of Selma in the film – supporting Luke, frightening the worshippers, testimony to the bishop, advice to Lissie?

14. Was Luke Fargo a man of principle? Why did his principles clash with others’?

15. How enjoyable was the trial from the bishop? Especially his interview with Lissie? Was the triumph of truth convincing?

16. How optimistic and humane is a film like this? Why?